Job 36
1 Elihu also continued, and said,
And Elihu addeth and saith: —
2 "Bear with me a little, and I will show you; for I still have something to say on God's behalf.
Honour me a little, and I shew thee, That yet for God [are] words.
3 I will get my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
I lift up my knowledge from afar, And to my Maker I ascribe righteousness.
4 For truly my words are not false. One who is perfect in knowledge is with you.
For, truly, my words [are] not false, The perfect in knowledge [is] with thee.
5 "Look, God is mighty, and doesn't despise anyone. He is mighty in strength of understanding.
Lo, God [is] mighty, and despiseth not, Mighty [in] power [and] heart.
6 He doesn't preserve the life of the wicked, but gives to the afflicted their right.
He reviveth not the wicked, And the judgment of the poor appointeth;
7 He doesn't withdraw his eyes from the righteous, but with kings on the throne, he sets them forever, and they are exalted.
He withdraweth not from the righteous His eyes, And [from] kings on the throne, And causeth them to sit for ever, and they are high,
8 If they are bound in fetters, and are taken in the cords of afflictions,
And if prisoners in fetters They are captured with cords of affliction,
9 then he shows them their work, and their transgressions, that they have behaved themselves proudly.
Then He declareth to them their work, And their transgressions, Because they have become mighty,
10 He also opens their ears to instruction, and commands that they return from iniquity.
And He uncovereth their ear for instruction, And saith that they turn back from iniquity.
11 If they listen and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.
If they do hear and serve, They complete their days in good, And their years in pleasantness.
12 But if they do not listen, they shall perish by the sword; they shall die without knowledge.
And if they do not hearken, By the dart they pass away, And expire without knowledge.
13 "But those who are godless in heart lay up anger. They do not cry for help when he binds them.
And the profane in heart set the face, They cry not when He hath bound them.
14 They die in youth. Their life perishes among the unclean.
Their soul dieth in youth, And their life among the defiled.
15 He delivers the afflicted by their affliction, and opens their ear in oppression.
He draweth out the afflicted in his affliction, And uncovereth in oppression their ear.
16 Yes, he would have allured you out of distress, into a broad place, where there is no restriction. That which is set on your table would be full of fatness.
And also He moved thee from a strait place, [To] a broad place — no straitness under it, And the sitting beyond of thy table Hath been full of fatness.
17 "But you are full of the judgment of the wicked. Judgment and justice take hold of you.
And the judgment of the wicked thou hast fulfilled, Judgment and justice are upheld — because of fury,
18 Do not let riches entice you to wrath, neither let the great size of a bribe turn you aside.
Lest He move thee with a stroke, And the abundance of an atonement turn thee not aside.
19 Would your wealth sustain you in distress, or all the might of your strength?
Doth He value thy riches? He hath gold, and all the forces of power.
20 Do not desire the night, when people are cut off in their place.
Desire not the night, For the going up of peoples in their stead.
21 Take heed, do not regard iniquity; for you have chosen this rather than affliction.
Take heed — do not turn unto iniquity, For on this thou hast fixed Rather than [on] affliction.
22 Look, God is exalted in his power. Who is a teacher like him?
Lo, God doth sit on high by His power, Who [is] like Him — a teacher?
23 Who has prescribed his way for him? Or who can say, 'You have committed unrighteousness?'
Who hath appointed unto Him his way? And who said, 'Thou hast done iniquity?'
24 "Remember that you magnify his work, whereof men have sung.
Remember that thou magnify His work That men have beheld.
25 All men have looked thereon. Man sees it afar off.
All men have looked on it, Man looketh attentively from afar.
26 Look, God is great, and we do not know him. The number of his years is unsearchable.
Lo, God [is] high, And we know not the number of His years, Yea, there [is] no searching.
27 For he draws up the drops of water, which distill in rain from his vapor,
When He doth diminish droppings of the waters, They refine rain according to its vapour,
28 Which the skies pour down and which drop on humankind abundantly.
Which clouds do drop, They distil on man abundantly.
29 Yes, can any understand the spreading of the clouds, and the thunderings of his pavilion?
Yea, doth [any] understand The spreadings out of a cloud? The noises of His tabernacle?
30 Look, he spreads his light around him. He covers the bottom of the sea.
Lo, He hath spread over it His light, And the roots of the sea He hath covered,
31 For by these he judges the people. He gives food in abundance.
For by them He doth judge peoples, He giveth food in abundance.
32 He covers his hands with the lightning, and commands it to strike the mark.
By two palms He hath covered the light, And layeth a charge over it in meeting,
33 Its noise tells about him, and the livestock also concerning the storm that comes up.
He sheweth by it [to] his friend substance, Anger against perversity.
